Seal



April 9, 1935;

G. B. EDGAR SEAL Filed Feb. 26,1934

I {gr m C Inventor; George-B. Edgar, by ofi i 4Q Patented Apr. 9, 1935SEAL George B. -Edgar, Lawrence, Kans., assignor to The Edgar Steel Seal& Manufacturing 00.,

Lawrence, Kans.

Application February 26, 1934, Serial No. 712,960 I 2 Claims. (Cl.292-315) My invention relates to seals generally but particularly toseals of'the open-lock and frangible type used on box freight cars,oil-ftanks, tankcars, corn-cribs, milk cans and other containers 5 intowhich goods, wares and merchandise that might tempt thieves may beplaced for shipment or storage, or into whichcondemned meats and otherfood products may be placed upon inspection to prevent their sale oruse'; and on fare re-'- ceptacles on street cars and other publicconveyances, etc., etc. r

The object of my invention is the production of a seal that will becheaper than those now in use, that may be readily applied with thehands I 1 bare or gloved and without any auxiliary tool, that cannot beremoved and again replaced without detection, that may be easily andexhaustively inspected for tampering, etc., without close examination,upon which numbers and other indicia of identification may be impressedor embossed of such size as to be readily readable without closeinspection, and that will inevitably be destroyed as a seal upon beingopened or removed.

I- attain these objects by a device illustrated in the accompanyingsingle sheet of drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view, Fig. 2, aperspective in arrested process of application to a conventionalhasp-staple-and-locking-pin type of fastening partially shown inelevation but being no part of this invention, Fig. 3, a perspective inlater arrested process of application to such a fastening, Fig. 4, asimilar perspective of the device completely applied to such a fasteningand showing the looking or securing member bent back to the right, whileFig. 5 is the same with said member bent back to the left.

A variant is shown of which Fig. 6 is a plan view, and Figs. 7 and 8,partial perspectives showing the engagement with the locking or securingmember bent down to the right and the left respectively. Another variantis shown of which Fig. 9 is a plan view, and'Figs. 10, 11,12 and 13 areelevations directly presenting the engagements, l0 and H showing thelocking memberbent up and down respectively to the right, and I2 and I3showing the locking member bent respectively up and down to the left.

Said figures are approximately of the same size as the seal itself, orthe parts thereof shown, and similar numerals refer to similar orcorresponding parts throughout the several views.

The seal is die-struck or stamped from a relatively thin strip ofmaterial, preferably from what is known as ribbon steel, but may be madeout of any other metal, alloy or other suitable material that is bothelastic and frangible so that it may be twisted at least a quarter turnand bent into hoop form without rupturingthat will stay in place whenbent abruptly or double along any given cross line, and that williniallibly break and part when an; attempt is made to unbend orstraighten same at such abrupt or double bend.

Referring to the drawing, the strip is narrowed along its middle reachso as to facilitate twisting, and shapedat one of its ends soas to havethereat a neck flanked by shoulders 2- and surmounted by a head 3, theirthickness being that ofthe strip, while the maximum length and breadthof the head is the same as the widthbf the strip, and the breadth of theneck at its narrowest point, approximately a third of said width.Adjacent the neck, both head and shoulders are narrowedtoabouttwo'thirds the width of the strip so as to make way for the spursof the locking memberto be presently described. Near the other end ofthe strip, and on, or approximately on its median line, same isperforated andprovided with a longitudinal slot 4, of but slightlygreater length and breadth than the breadth and thickness respectivelyof said head, so as to just admit same when inserted therein upon thestrips being twisted a quarter, or approximately a quarter turn. At theinner end of said slot there is an enlargement or flare 5 thereof of theshape, or approximate shape of an equilateral triangle, whose base isper-pen dicular, orapproximately perpendicular to the edges of thestrip, and slightly longer than the breadth of said neck at narrowestpoint, so as also tojust admit and engage same at right angles, orapproximate right angles to the edges of the strip when said head 3 hasbeen inserted and passed on through said slot 4, the neck I pressed intosaid flare, and the strip untwisted, as shownin Fig. 3.

In order to secure said engagement in this position, this slot end ofthe strip is made to terminate in a locking member, tab or tongue 6,defined and rendered abruptly bendable across the median reach of saidslot 4, and on the line between them, by the notches 1 in the edges ofsaid slot and. strip, so that, when bent double or completely back ineither direction on said line the extremity of said tongue or tab willnot only contact with andpress against said neck and shoulders, or saidneck and head as shown respectively in Figsr and 5, thus firmly holdingsaid neck against the base of the triangular enlargement 5, and holdingthe engagement in place at right angles to the edges of the strip,

but the slot 4 will be so shortened that it will be impossible towithdraw the head 3 therefrom without completely straightening orunbending said tongue or tab at said bend. And in order to stay this tabor tongue in this position, same is provided at its extremity withprojections or spurs 8 to take position on either side of said narrowedhead:orgshoulders, as shewnin Figs. 4 and-5,1 the more completely in -5.

It will be observed that, if, as or when said tab or tongue is unbent orstraightened as aforesaid, it will necessarily break at such abrupt ordouble bend and be severed from the rest of the seal, thus destroying itas;such,-.:md;morehor less obtrusively disclosing that-tit hasrbeen-tampered with, or even opened and the container thereto-.

fore sealed by it entered ,and possibly rifled, which disclosure is oneof the prime objects of the invention. I

i lh ra an isho in Eig K ,6 ian 5, isin all re n ts' p roxim el th s mas .the parent SlQViQ .i s tsi tsqrlb .Q .GI. t {that ther ar $1.10prqieqti n iq spur a .th t xtrem t o thvefitab o QXl HB and ina rqwingof t e h ad .or sh i lde tst ake .wao them .Whenhsaid tab or tongue ;isbentback against eithQrnQf them. and hej it vemnsne ka Y I Th vaiantshownin fis 11 2 and .13 really avariant of theabovedescribedvariant. flhedifierenee :being that the tab or ton ue imstead Q being, dabl a ri ht angles, .9! a preximate t sh an e to heV-led esof th vstrip, ismade tobendat an angle of fOI'tyqfiYQ, 9r ,appox mate ,fQ tY-fiv d re s to sa d dees either up or downto theright,';as shown injiiigs. n 1 t th le t a sh i Fi 12 nd 1 s a t ee gasmentishel linplac as aforesaid not-by the end of the tongue i but by oneof its sides, while in each'case ,the slotg,

as in-the parentconstruction and preceding variant, is shortened pendingthe engagement spas toneeessitate the cori plete unbending or si :r. 2tightening of said tab or tongue-in order to,re1ease'it.

I am aware that I am not the first to secure the engagement of theendsof a sealing strip of this general type by bending the extremity of theslot end double and back against some part of the head end, and thatsuch a construction is shown in Patent No. 1,064,462, June 10, 1913, tomy brother William K. Edgar, now deceased, but I believe I am the firstto make the bend across the slotiat or neariitsmiddle soiza'sitozshbrtenit and necessitate the'eompletestraighteningor unb ending of same inorder to make possible the with adrawal of the head from the slot. Inthe construction shown in said patent the bend is at the outer end ofthe slot, making it possible to with- :drawtheihead without completelyunbending or tstraigh'tening :same. Besides, in thatconstruction,'-though the-slot maybe said to be longitudinal,.itlispromdedat,its outer end with a cross T, while there is no twisting oruntwisting of the :stripii-n: order to insert or withdraw the head.

. H ving thu described my (invention, ,.I-;c1aim:

1. .a seal of rthejkind described, a suitable strip; of 7 material shapd at .one end into ahead, neckand.should rs,iand providedin ar th oth rwith atlongitudinalcslotrto admit .said A- head, said Slot being flared,at its inner \end -;-to .admit Land en s isaidineckhandterminating inaltongue to shorten said slot pendingrsaid :engagementsand secure same,the; said tongue being provided {at its extremity with .means to stay itv in securing position. 1

2. I n, a;se,al of the kind describeda .stripbf frangible materialshaped-at. one-end intora head, neckand shoulders and provided neartheqother with alongitudinalslotlflaredat its inner end to admi sadlieadwhensa dstr nistwistedap roxima e ytasuarter .tnrn and to en agsaid neck when said strip is untwisted =-.and zterminatin in a tongue lt-shortensaidslot pendingr aid .eneasemen an .-t secur same, said tonguebeing provided atti textremity with spurs test-fay itzinsequringgposition. I

.GEQBGE CB.

